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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27186989">Unending Melody</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonofMordor/pseuds/DragonofMordor'>DragonofMordor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, M/M, Post-Rescue from Thangorodrim, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:47:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,916</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27186989</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonofMordor/pseuds/DragonofMordor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After his rescue of Maedhros, Fingon at first assumes he is no longer needed until he is informed that his help is required.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fingon | Findekáno/Maedhros | Maitimo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Trick or Treat Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Unending Melody</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/neutrophilic/gifts">neutrophilic</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The stars were filling the sky when at last Thorondor landed at the camp of the sons of Feanor. Fingon was still wide awake, Maedhros cradled in his arms. He gently slid off the eagle’s back. Maedhros moaned softly, but barely moved. People came out when they heard the sound and started heading towards them. Maglor reached Fingon’s side first. He stopped and stared in horror at the sight of his brother’s mangled body.</p>
<p>“Get the healers,” Fingon said firmly. “And help me put him on the ground.” </p>
<p>That was enough to startle Maglor out of his freeze. He reached out and put his arms around his brother. Together he and Fingon lowered Maedhros to the ground. Maglor knelt down beside his brother, petting his red hair comfortingly. Fingon just stood there awkwardly. He wasn’t sure if they even wanted him here, now that his job was done.</p>
<p>Curufin was there next. He had a blanket in his hand that he draped over his wounded brother. Then he looked over at Fingon and said “Thank you, we can take it from here. You should go tell your father you are safe.”</p>
<p>That was it then. Maedhros was safe. The gulf between their family branches still felt as wide as the Helcaraxe. Perhaps this was the beginning of a bridge, but Fingon was not sure. Truth be told, it did not even matter much to him now. Seeing Maedhros like that had shaken him to the core. The evil done to him was unlike anything he had ever imagined. Was healing from that even possible?</p>
<p>Fingon left the camp and headed back to his own. He forced his mind to focus on the path, paying attention to each step, each tree and stone, memorizing the way. Anything to keep the image of Maedhros hanging from that mountain from his mind. By the time he saw the edges of his father’s camp, the sun’s light was just beginning to show. </p>
<p>As FIngon walked into camp, he saw his father standing near the path. FIngolfin had clearly been waiting for his sons return. The elder elf looked tired and worried, but he looked up with relief when he saw his son. As soon as Fingon saw his father, exhaustion came over him all of a sudden. He threw down his bags and bow and stopped where he was.</p>
<p>Fingolfin opened his arms for his son, and Fingon walked over and fell into them. He broke down sobbing. Everything he had seen, everything he had been forced to do just fell over him all at once. It was all too much. Fingon just let everything go. Fingolfin held his son, knowing his son needed his strength and comfort right now more than anything.</p>
<p>Father and son stood there for what seemed like hours. Finally, Fingon’s tears slowed and stopped. He pulled away from his father and breathed deeply. He tried to put into words what he had seen. “The things they did to him,” he said. “I do not know how he survived. He asked me to kill him, but I couldn’t do it.  I had to cut off his hand to get the chains off. This is the monster we’ve come to fight. How can we stand up to such evil?”</p>
<p>“Courage,” Fingolfin said, “Courage like yours. You went into Angband and rescued your cousin. You stood up to Morgoth and took away his prize. That’s how we will defeat him. Now, go sleep, my son. You have earned it.”</p>
<p>Fingon nodded and let his father lead him back to his tent. He sank down and was asleep almost as soon as he hit the blankets.</p>
<p>It had been several months since Fingon had braved the horrors of Angband, and he had not heard a single word from the other camp about Maedhros’ condition. He could think of nothing else, but it seemed as if his courage extended only to facing Angband, not to sneaking into the Feanorian camp without an invite. Instead he put his focus into making the camp in Hithlum into a more permanent home. They were building a fortress so they could watch for any encroaching enemies from Angband as well as creating homes for each family. It was difficult work, but Fingon had never shied away from doing his equal share.</p>
<p>Fingon was just stopping for a drink of water when he heard some shouting coming from the side, near the camp entrance. He quickly headed that direction. As he rounded a corner on the path he saw, with surprise, that Maglor was there. Maglor looked exhausted, but his eyes lit up with relief when he saw Fingon. Turgon was there as well, shouting at Maglor to leave.</p>
<p>“Fingon!” Maglor called out.</p>
<p>“Yes, Maglor,” Fingon replied. “I am here. What do you need from me?”</p>
<p>“Your presence, please. Maitimo has been begging for you. He moans your name in his sleep. We are worried he will not heal further unless you are at his side.”</p>
<p>“Then heal he will not,” Turgon said. “Perhaps that is just punishment. Leave this place where you are not wanted.”</p>
<p>“Turgon, please,” Fingon begged. “You do not know. If you had seen as I saw, you would not speak so.  Return to your work and let me talk with Maglor, I pray.”</p>
<p>Turgon nodded briskly and walked away. Fingon then turned back to Maglor. “I am not sure if I can do as you request. Things have changed, you know this. Does he truly want to see me, or is he just seeing past memories in his painful suffering?”</p>
<p>“I know that things have changed,” Maglor said, “but perhaps not as much as you have thought, at least not with him. He did not help us burn the ships.”</p>
<p>“What?” Fingon said, hope starting to spring up in his mind.</p>
<p>“He assumed father was going to send the ships back,” Maglor said. “He reacted with horror when father said to burn them and refused to aid us. I will admit the rest of us took part, but Maitimo did not. I am sure he thought of you when he refused.”</p>
<p>“I…” Fingon started, “Let me get some things. He raced back into camp and pulled together enough clothes and supplies to last him a few days. His heart was beating fast and his mind was almost dancing for joy. When he was back at Maglor’s side, the two of them headed out.</p>
<p>Maedhros lay on a bed of dark furs. He was fast asleep, but it was cleary not a restful sleep he was having. He thrashed around the furs and moaned. He mumbled words that Fingon could mostly not make out. The few words he could discern were mostly “no” or “please.” He did look far better than the last time Fingon saw him. His red hair was growing out, and his face was recognizable again without the bruises. He was starting to fill out with muscle again. Even without a hand, he was still recognizably the strong elder son of Feanor he used to be. </p>
<p>“He still has terrible nightmares,” Maglor said. “Even just the things he’s told us are enough to give me nightmares, so I can imagine his are horrifying. He sleeps better when he dreams of you, but then he begs for you to come and save him. I know your presence will sooth him.”</p>
<p>Fingon nodded. He dropped his bags and walked over to Maedhros. He got down onto the furs and laid himself beside the redhead. He wrapped an arm around Maedhros and brushed a finger through his hair. Maedhros sighed in his sleep and stopped thrashing. Fingon looked back up at Maglor and smiled. Maglor nodded and walked out the door.</p>
<p>Fingon continued to pet Maedhros’s hair and began to hum a tune. Then he softly sang the words into Maedhros’s ear.</p>
<p>Here many days once gently past me crept<br/>
In this dear town of old forgetfulness;<br/>
Here all entwined in dreams once long I slept<br/>
And heard no echo of the world’s distress<br/>
Come through the rustle of the elms’ rich leaves,<br/>
While Avon gurgling over shallows wove<br/>
Unending melody, and morns and eves<br/>
Slipped down her waters till the Autumn came,<br/>
(Like the gold leaves that drip and flutter then,<br/>
Till the dark river gleams with jets of flame<br/>
That slowly float far down beyond our ken.)</p>
<p>“Káno,” Maedhros sighed softly, still asleep.</p>
<p>“I’m here, Maitimo,” Fingon whispered. “I’m not going to leave again.</p>
<p>“Love you, Káno,” Maedhros said. </p>
<p>Fingon felt warm all over. There it was, that unspoken…thing. They had never been able to speak those words. There was too much tension between their families, too much complication. Fingon had honestly not even been entirely sure Maedhros shared those feelings in that way. He’d always assumed that perhaps it truly was just friendship for the other. Maybe these things he’d felt, the spark when they touched, the hunger when he saw the redhead training, the random sudden desire to press their lips together, maybe they had just been his alone. But now he suddenly knew at last that he was not alone. Why now? </p>
<p>Fingon felt Maedhros stirring beside him. He pulled away a little so as not to scare his cousin. Maedhros’ eyes opened, and Fingon saw the fear in them for a moment before he saw the spark of recognition. Maedhros’ eyes lit up.</p>
<p>“Káno!” Maedhros said. “You are here. It has been too long. Let me take this chance to express my gratitude to you. I owe you more than I can ever say.”</p>
<p>“You owe me nothing,” FIngon said. “I would have done it for anyone. How could I possibly leave you there? You just continue to heal, that is all the reward I need.”</p>
<p>“Tell me how you have been, then,” Maedhros said. </p>
<p>“Things are going fine for us,” Fingon said. “At least now that we are here in Beleriand. We have started turning our camp into a home.”</p>
<p>Maedhros winced at the implied reference to the Helcaraxe. “I am glad you arrived safely, and I am glad you are settling in. I truly hope there can be peace and friendship between us and our families.”</p>
<p>“As do I,” Fingon replied. “How are you, Maitimo, truly. If there is any way I can help, I want you to know I am here for you.”</p>
<p>“It is one day at a time,” Maedhros said honestly. “There are things that happened there I do not think I can ever truly talk about. But I will survive. Having you here is already helping me.”</p>
<p>“Then I will stay,” Fingon said firmly. “And we will work on your healing together.” He reached out to brush a piece of hair from Maedhros’ eyes. Maedhros flinched at first and then relaxed. Fingon looked with concern at his cousin. It killed him to see Maedhros in so much pain. He wished he could take away all the hurt.</p>
<p>“Tell me what I can do for you,” Fingon begged.</p>
<p>“Just be here,” Maedhros replied softly. He reached out and took Fingon’s hand in his. It was a start. Fingon knew there was a long way to go, but they would get there. And someday, when Maedhros was ready, Fingon would talk to him about their shared feelings. But right now, Maedhros needed his friendship and care. Fingon could wait. He knew anything with Maedhros would be well worth the wait.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The song Fingon sings is from a Tolkien poem, from the History of Middle Earth Book 2, called the Town of Dreams. I couldn't resist using actual Tolkien words as the song.</p>
<p>Sorry this didn't end up being an actual get together. That was the original plan, but it just didn't end up feeling right, they didn't feel like they were in a place where they'd get there at the point Maedhros is at. I hope you like anyway.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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